The surgeon and the CM

About 10 years ago, I received a phone call from the legendary Dr. V. Shanta, Chairman of the Cancer Institute, Adyar, who passed away on Tuesday. She wanted some advice on a book she was compiling. N. Ram, Director of The Hindu Group of Publications, was to write the foreword. Would I push and pull the contributions together? When I met her to discuss the project, the great doctor’s voice was so soft that I had to strain to hear what she was saying. When did she want it?